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There’s Samoans everywhere.

Lani Young

So we’ve officially moved back to Samoa after a three year stint living in New Zealand. (Although its a bit misleading to say we have lived in NZ all this time because in actual fact the Hot Man has still been working in the hot, humid land. And Ive been home so many times that its like I never left.)
BUT just for the sake of this blogpost lets agree that I’ve been resident in NZ for three years, during which time, I published five books, ate lots of lamingtons and developed an allergy to sunlight.
Last week we packed our worldly belongings into a shipping container, got on a plane and arrived at Faleolo Airport on a sweaty, rainy Friday night. An airport where Little Daughter went to the bathroom and scuttled out to whisper “It smells in there!” Shhhhh!
The Hot Man met us and drove us to our new home for the next six months, a lovely house sitting on the Palisi mountainside. A house where Bella ran outside excitedly onto the deck to look at the stars and I yelled a warning -“put some shoes on in case you step on a centipede!”
And she replied, “What’s a centipede?!”
Oh my poor child…you have so much to discover about this land…
We’ve been here a few days now and slowly unpacking and getting settled. We have no phone line and no internet at the new house which means the Fab5 are suffering painful withdrawal symptoms. And I have to suffer listening to them whinge “Im so bored! When does the Xbox get here? Can we go to the beach?”
Im glad our family is learning how to be unchained from technology BUT it means I have to write blogs on my phone – which explains all the errors.
An overwhelming reason though, why Im glad we moved here, was demonstrated when we took Bella to the store. She exclaimed (very loudly), ” Theres SO many Samoans everywhere! Why are there sooo many Samoans here?”

Ummm, because we’re in Samoa? Oh, and just in case you didnt know, you’re Samoan too.

Yes, if nothing else, we’re here so that our children will have no doubts about who and what they are.
image

Hello Samoa! – the view from our deck. The view i will be writing my next book to, once school starts and i can get rid of these beloved children for a few hours every day.

Published by Lani Young

Lani Young is an international bestselling author of YA fantasy, contemporary romance and literary fiction. The 2018 Pacific Laureate, her work is inspired by the diverse mythology of Oceania and the richness of her cultural heritage as a Samoan / Maori woman.

14 thoughts on “There’s Samoans everywhere.”

      1. Oh wow I so want to go back to Samoa and live. I know pay wise the money isn’t all that great but home is where the heart is. I am so missing Samoa like crazy 🙂

  3. OMG!! I love it. So glad she sees her culture all around her. Maybe it’ll help her avoid my pitfall as a kid. I didnt see very many african americans where we lived. I had all white dolls, and eventually grew to believe that the only attaractive people were white, and that black people were ugly, and I said as much to my mother who, of course, was shocked and practically made it her lifes mission to immerse me into my culture and the cultures I have sprinkled within me as well as all the other minority cultures so that I would come to the conclusion I now hold dear. No culture is more beautiful than another. They all have beauty, and there are things that make them all different. But no matter what color, or culture, they’re all human, and they’re all beautiful. Now all the male celebrities I’m obsessed with are Samoan or half Samoan, with the exception of one or two…..no idea where that came from…but I’m not at all mad about that…..they just draw me…lol

    1. So true Sherre. I was a bit concerned about Bella and her obsession with wanting “pretty yellow hair like my friends” and complaining she was fat next to her very petite white friends. All cultures have their own unique beauty and rich heritage so i hope we can better appreciate ours.

      1. Totally. I remember my brief stint with wanting to have blonde hair…it didnt help that my mom had blonde highlights at the time. Eventually I wanted red hair too….and once I got old enough to do it, I did it. I had red hair for a good few years and It was gorgeous with my skin complexion, but eventually I began to feel like I was being someone I wasnt, and I eventually grew my hair back out. Now it’s ridiculously long, and the “boring brown” color I used to hate and now love. It’s the color god gave me, and I need to appreciate it. I may add some additional lighter brown hi/lowlights, just for some definition, but for the most part, I’m going to just be myself.

        That being said, I had a dream last night that the back of my hair was a ridicuous blonde, and the front was my normal color, and I panicked. I dont think blonde works for me.

    2. I hear you, Sherre. That insidious self denigration creeps in when all you see is other than what looks like you. The best thing is growing to realize the greater truth: there is beauty (and ugliness – and thats often INTERNAL) in all peoples. Variety IS the spice of life!

      1. Absolutely Windsinger. At this point in my life, I find that the most beautiful people, are the ones that arent in the “majority.” Differences are beautiful. It makes people one of a kind. If I looked (and acted) like everyone else, then I’d be boring and would never be able to stand out from the crowd.

  5. I clearly remember moving back to Fiji as a small child, driving to Vuda, our new home, from the Airport after leaving NZ. The sunset, the colours, the smells of people cooking the most delicious things ever over open fires, the children waving at us and laughing and playing on the road. I remember thinking, “this must be a good place, everyone is so happy”. My fear of a new school and not fitting in were unfounded. although it was not all plain sailing. I hope your kids have a smooth transition and I am sure your family will be all the better for going home.

  6. Hi Lani. ..glad you and your family arrived safely. .I hope Samoa brings out more of your creative juices…keep up the fantastic work!…

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